


off-stage talk

by ladyofrebellion



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: M/M, That's it, bitchy oxenfurt students, feral bards, geralt's territorial, ok so a bardic competition, valdo has a thing for jaskier but he's in denial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24741358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofrebellion/pseuds/ladyofrebellion
Summary: Valdo watched Jaskier eyeing the witcher from time to time. The hulking man sitting near the stage, looking uncomfortable with all the attention he was receiving. His eyes never left Jaskier, though, and Jaskier's eyes glinted like embers each time their gazes met through the crowd.Valdo had never wanted to smother Jaskier more than in that moment.- already posted on my tumblrquoththewriter
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion/Valdo Marx, like... one-sided
Comments: 16
Kudos: 234





	off-stage talk

The audience was enthralled, watching Jaskier's moves and clinging to his every word. The bard was singing the latest addition to his Witcher Cycle. This year he was presenting an epic narrating the story of the School of the Wolf. A complex and cleverly written piece, Valdo had to concede. Not that he'd be caught saying it to any soul. 

Essi, next in line to perform, was watching him with an evil smirk. Valdo had half a mind to be worried, so he just rolled his eyes and attempted to divert her attention.

"Your friend becomes more predictable each year."

"Tends to happen when you're working on a cycle, Val," she was biting her lip, most likely stifling a laugh.

They both turned to Jaskier, now playing his cycle's motif. A beautiful and simple melody that reminded everyone of past songs, with a single, subtle discordant note creating tension towards the end of the phrase.

"You know," Essi started, "I thought you would have settled this nonsense by the end of our first year."

Valdo watched Jaskier eyeing the witcher from time to time. The hulking man sitting near the stage, looking uncomfortable with all the attention he was receiving. His eyes never left Jaskier, though, and Jaskier's eyes glinted like embers each time their gazes met through the crowd.

Valdo had never wanted to smother Jaskier more than in that moment.

"I see," Essi said.

"You really don't," he gritted through his teeth.

They remained silent until Jaskier finished his piece. The bard quickly bowed and trotted towards them.

"Essi, dear!" Jaskier's laugh was throaty and warm. 

He gathered his friend in his arms with a blinding smile and a kiss to her temple. Essi only laughed, used to his antics.

"I'm next, I'm next," she swatted his arm, impatient.

"Take their breath away, dear heart," there were tears at the corner of his eyes. They hadn't seen each other since the last bardic competition.

Essi walked away before she, too, could get emotional. Which left Jaskier turning to Valdo, recognition flaring in those eyes.

"Valdo," Jaskier drawled, carelessly leaning against the edge of the wooden stage.

"Julian," Valdo faked indifference.

He saw, then, that dangerous gleam in Jaskier's eyes. Valdo remembered wide-eyed, sad-eyed young Jaskier that first year of university. No one ever knew what happened back at Lettenhove, Jaskier never mentioned his family or county. He'd only started to look like a living thing when he raised up to Valdo.

That edge in his eyes, glinting like a knife in the dark, always making Valdo falter. He knew, in that moment before the storm, that Jaskier only saw him. 

"Kindly step off a cliff, my sweet." Jaskier's voice never lost that syrupy tone. "Play that horrid minor chord you chose as a motif while you're at it."

"Are you going to grade the jump, Julian?"

"Oh, no. No grading, just encouraging." He placed his right hand over his heart, faking sentiment.

"Oh, is that a direct quote from your class syllabus?" Valdo said delicately. "I've heard they're nasty things, your students. Poor younglings."

Something hardened in those clear blue eyes, alarms going off in Valdo's brain. Jaskier did set his hair on fire once and Valdo was rather attached to his meticulously styled curls.

"No one ever makes a change with stifled thoughts, sweet thing," there was nothing sweet in Jaskier's leer.

There was nothing else any of them could day, so they just turned and watched Essi perform. Jaskier had won the competition three times in the last four years, but Essi won two years ago. She always made it difficult for them when the judges graded the performances. She was that good.

Jaskier clapped so hard that Valdo immediately saw his palms turn crimson. He wondered what the bard would do when Valdo played. He scoffed, kicking himself mentally.

"Having second thoughts about that plain ballad of yours?" Jaskier asked, batting his lashes at him.

"Go choke."

"Oh, I plan to," Jaskier's smile turned lascivious before turning to the witcher, who was stalking them like a predator. Valdo wondered if he could hear them.

"Your choice of bedmates continues to be, surprisingly, worse than your choice of metaphors." Valdo scrunched his nose, seeing the witcher's eyes harden.

"Excuse you, my metaphors are perfectly chosen, as are all my companions." Jaskier eyed him up and down. Valdo felt naked.

"Really? You should have stopped at the third animal metaphor." Valdo sneered. "It's slowly becoming a bestiary."

"Oh, says the man using minor chords to convey melancholy instead of actual lyrics. How many minutes of instrumental introduction for this year's piece, huh?"

"How dare you! I was top of the class in poetry." Valdo poked Jaskier's chest with a finger.

"You fucked Professor Kent!"

"Someone sounds bitter," Valdo sing-songed in Jaskier's ear, eyes locked with the witcher.

The white-haired man stood, making his way to them. 

Valdo heard the audience's roar after Essi's performance. Jaskier trembled at the sudden breath in his neck. 

The witcher was almost upon them when Valdo caught Jaskier's earlobe between his teeth. He felt more than heard the strangled noise his fellow bard made. The witcher was now pushing people out of his way, teeth bared.

Sick satisfaction curled inside Valdo's chest when he felt Jaskier gulp at the lick he gave the tender flesh between his teeth.

"I doubt he makes you sing like I'd do," Valdo whispered before running up the stairs in a haste, almost colliding with Essi on the steps. 

He saw Jaskier trying to keep the witcher in place, those unnatural eyes promising murder. Valdo just gave him his best smile and stepped in the centre of the stage.

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me if you enjoyed the reading!
> 
> also, i tend to publish things for this fandom more quickly on my tumblr, so you may want to follow me there: [quoththewriter](https://quoththewriter.tumblr.com)


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